20.07.2008

In religion, folklore, and mythology a demon (or daemon, dæmon, daimon from Greek: ???µ?? [?aïmon]) is a supernatural being that has generally been described as a malevolent spirit, and in Christian terms it is generally understood as a fallen angel, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled. The "good" demon in recent use is largely a literary device (e.g., Maxwell's demon), though references to good demons can be found in Hesiod and Shakespeare.[1] In common language, to "demonize" a person means to characterize or portray them as evil, or as the source of evil.